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Cochiti Dam re-opened

Flood waters collected during heavy September rains, will be released into the Rio Grande.

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Updated: 11:53 PM MDT Oct 17, 2013

Cochiti Dam re-opened

Flood waters collected during heavy September rains, will be released into the Rio Grande.

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Updated: 11:53 PM MDT Oct 17, 2013

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WEBVTT MONSOON FLOODING, IS FINALLY BEING RELEASED FROM COCHITI DAM. BECAUSE...UP UNTIL NOW...DEBRIS WAS BLOCKING THE DAM. FIRST ALERT METEOROLOGIST BYRON MORTON SHOWS YOU WHAT IMPACT THIS NEW WATER WILL HAVE, ON THE RIO GRANDE. COCHITI LAKE'S BEEN SITTING AT A HIGH LEVEL FOR SOME TIME... Water's been up fifteen feet above the normal pool elevation for about a month. AND ALL THAT WATER IS FROM SEPTEMBER'S FLOODING RAINS. ...we would've normally released that water. However, there was a sediment plug in the river. DEBRIS AROUND THE COCHITI DAM MADE IT TOO DANGEROUS. ...that...reduced our channel capacity where we couldn't release that water until that plug was partially removed. WITH THE WATER NOW FLOWING AGAIN...RIO GRANDE BASIN COORDINATOR RYAN GRONEWOLD...SAYS THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S LEFT IN IT'S WAKE. We really don't know how much damage there is yet... GRONEWOLD ALSO SAYS ALL THAT WATER WILL RACE DOWN THE RIO GRANDE AND EVENTUALLY INTO ELEPHANT BUTTE. Elephant Butte should...the lake elevation should raise somewhat there. THAT MAKES TOM THORPE OF THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE CONSERVANCY DISTRICT VERY HAPPY. We want the water in Elephant Butte. We need to fill the butte back up. BECAUSE...MORE WATER IN THE BUTTE...MEANS MORE THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH NEXT GROWING SEASON. We need to get the water back up. So... that we can start storing water again. BYRON MORTON. K-O-A-T ACTION SEVEN NEWS. THE COCHITI DAM RELEASE MEANS THE RIO GRANDE WILL BE RUNNING HIGH, FOR ABOUT THE NEXT WEEK.

Cochiti Dam re-opened

Flood waters collected during heavy September rains, will be released into the Rio Grande.